Resurrection Day Cookies

For a follower of Christ, Easter is a glorious, victorious day – Resurrection Day. Years ago, my husband and I made these cookies together to celebrate, before there were any little ones. This year my son has just turned four. I think it’s time we make them again. This is as much a teaching/devotion activity as it is fun in the kitchen. If you’d like to do this with your family, here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• zipper baggie
• wooden spoon
• tape
• Bible

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. (read John 19:1-3)
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. (read John 19:28-30)
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. (read John 10:10-11)
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. (read Luke 23:27)
6. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. (read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16)
7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)
8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. (read Matthew 27:57-60)
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. (read Matthew 27:65-66)
10. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. (read John 16:20 and 22)
11. On Easter morning (also known as Resurrection Day) open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. (read Matthew 28:1-9)

I have a note that I found the recipe at: http://www.gospelcom.net/growingtogether/. But that was several years ago, so that is not a working link. The cookies are a bit like divinity. If you do this with your family, I’d love to hear how it went, how the kids responded, etc. Have a wonderful Easter week.

Valentine Cookies

I have had numerous post ideas pop in and right back out of my head lately. And here I’ve had the honor of being linked from the fabulous “My Sister’s Kitchen” and have been getting lots of visitors from over there. My apologies that it’s been so quiet around here. I have to admit that most days I do good just to get dinner on the table (not to mention those other meals) – you know, basic sustenance for my family. I guess I haven’t come up with anything very noteworthy since those fajitas over a week ago – my poor family.

Lo and behold, Valentine’s day is this week. While that’s not a real big holiday for me, I do need to take a little something to my son’s daycare class at my weekly Bible study. So, I’ve pulled out my trusty Pampered Chef  Cookie Press gun to make some heart cookies. I’m also going to make some of those cheesecake cookies for my bible study group.

Anyway, back to the heart cookies. This is the best recipe I’ve found so far to use in the cookie gun. It’s from the Southern Living 1981 recipe collection:

Melt-Away Butter Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour, and mix well. Stir in flavorings.

Use a cookie gun or cookie press to shape dough into desired shapes (I’ve used this recipe at Christmas, too), following manufacturer’s instructions. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets, and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Store in airtight containers, placing waxed paper between layers of cookies. Yield: about 7 dozen.

It’s a simple recipe that makes yummy cookies. They can also be decorated for added fun. I would suppose one could try different flavor extracts – like almond, perhaps – instead of the lemon. Happy Valentine’s Day!

More Cookies From Kate

If you’re looking to do some holiday baking, sounds like you’d better get some baker’s chocolate and make these Chewy Chocolate Bites from Kate in the kitchen. She’s the creator of the cheesecake cookies I posted about a few weeks ago. And from the sounds of these chocolate cookies, we can bring on world peace if enough of us make them. Well, that might require sharing them . . .

If you try these before I do, I want to hear about it.

For Ginger

In response to my Breakfast for Dinner post, Ginger asked:

It seems like last year our Costco had some pumpkin based thing put out by Krusteaz and there were several recipes on the side of the box for cookies/muffins, etc. They were fabulous!
Do you have any ideas or suggestions. Krusteaz’s website offered no help.
Thanks!

First, let me apologize for taking so long to respond. I’ve had several posts on my mind but no time to sit down and type ‘em out.  Now I’m afraid it’s “too late” for some, but maybe not. Folks might have turkey again for Christmas, so perhaps I’ll still post about the wonderful turkey soup I made from the carcas and leftovers. Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

What I have is the Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread Mix. As far as muffins go, just use the basic quick bread instructions and spoon the batter into muffin tins instead of a bread pan. I made some for a meeting tonight and they turned out well. To make them more of a treat I added a half bag of white chocolate chips I had. On the side of the box is the following recipe for:

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 pouch Quick Bread Mix
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 taspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional
• sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place quick bread mix and butter in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add egg, oats, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Continue to mix on medium speed until dough forms. Stir in raisins, if desired. Using rounded tablespoon dough for each cookie, form balls and roll in sugar, if desired. Place 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

On the box are also recipes for Pumpkin Swirl Snack Cake and Caramel Pumpkin Cake. I’d be happy to post or email those if anyone is looking for them. This box came with three pouches. I used one for 2 separate batches of pumpkin pancakes – which were very good. I used the second one tonight for muffins. I have only one left. I’m certain I will find good use for it before the year is out.

My New Favorite Cookies

I found these cookies over at Kate in the Kitchen. It was funny, I had just gotten an email that a meeting I was to attend would be having a cheesecake theme, then hopped on over to Kate’s blog and there she had posted about cheesecake cookies. Well, that settled that! I’m not much of a baker, but I can make cookies. Let me just say I did not come home with a single cookie.

Chewy Cheesecake Cookies (NOT a low fat recipe!)

• 1 stick of butter at room temperature
• 3 oz. softened cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour

Blend together the butter and cream cheese. Gradually add the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour until incorporated – don’t over-mix. Scoop by tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets and bake at 375 until slightly browned around the edges, about 10-12 minutes. Allow them to cool for several minutes before removing them from the sheets.

That’s the basic recipe. You can hop on over to Kate’s post for suggestions to jazz it up. Yum! One batch made about 1 1/2 dozen. I also want to mention that I used baking stones from Pampered Chef and it took the cookies about 17 minutes to get done.